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Topic: Who would have thought Brecon Beacons National Park 60yrs young (Read 1264 times)

I have very fond memories of crawling to the summit of Pen Y fan, back in the 1980s, almost expecting to be sucked off the mountain, such was the ferocity of the wind.Living in South Wales, it was my main hunting ground, and for some reason, the winds encountered there, were some of the strongest ive experienced, nothing in Snowdonia has come close.The park, is now celebrating its 60th bithday this year, and with its increasing popularity, it has a fine future ahead of it.

And I'm lucky enough to have lived all my life just a stones throw outside the boundary. I was at the Brecon show today chatting to one of the wardens of the BBNP, there's a lot of funding heading their way for path improvement and other projects, the future is assured but with that comes ever increasing popularity, can't have it all ways I guess

I only wish i had been granted permission to copy Chris Barbers (well known Abergavenny author and owner of Blorenge Books) personal photographic collection.Whilst taking part in his 1987 South Wales Marathon walk, he told us about a new publication that he was writing, and he had brought along a selection of very rare photographs he had taken in the early 1970s, late 60s.

The two that left a lasting impression on me even to this day, was the steep path up the side of Pen Y fan, from the Cribyn end, with no sign of any erosion, just fresh grass.The other showed the Pen Y fan plateau, in a similar state, no sign of the severe erosion its now famous for, just grass.

For some reason, he would not allow any of his extensive photographic collection to be copied, even though several of us asked for a photocopy.

Over the years, ive never seen similar photographs, so the photographs must have been taken back in the 1960s or there about's, long before the Beacons became the main attention for walkers in Southern Britain.

I suppose well known authors are very particular on the copyright of their own material.

Ive even seen a photograph, showing the ascent of the east ridge of Crib Goch, from its start at the PYG track, with virtually no erosion.

Last time i visited there, the erosion of the mountainside must be at least six feet in depth, possibly more, so that photograph must be pretty old.

That was shown to us by Harvey Lloyd in the Tyn Y Groes hotel, in Capel Curig, many years ago, when i helped out in his annual 1000m Peak race.

The two that left a lasting impression on me even to this day, was the steep path up the side of Pen Y fan, from the Cribyn end, with no sign of any erosion, just fresh grass.The other showed the Pen Y fan plateau, in a similar state, no sign of the severe erosion its now famous for, just grass.

I remember walking all the routes around Pen y Fan when it was like that. I've watched the paths slowly sink over the years.